30 April 2009

SWINE FLU: INFORMATION FOR BRITISH NATIONALS TRAVELLING OR RESIDENT IN BURMA

Most of you will be aware from news reports that the World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday raised the level of influenza pandemic alert to Phase 5. This denotes that there is a substantial risk of a global influenza pandemic. Information provided by the WHO indicates that the situation is evolving rapidly. You may welcome some guidance and a reminder of standing advice on preparing yourself for a possible pandemic. Please do feel free to pass this letter on to other British nationals if they have not received it separately (and see also information on registering on-line at the end of this letter).

How widespread is the problem?

As of 29 April, nine countries (including the United Kingdom) had officially reported cases of swine flu A/H1N1 infection. However there have been no reported cases in Burma so far. At the time of writing, the WHO advises no restriction on regular travel, here in the South East Asia region or elsewhere. However it is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention.

How can keep up to date with the situation?

For updates on the latest situation, we recommend that you check the WHO website. You may also wish to consult the website of the UK Department of Health, which is co-ordinating the response to swine flu in the UK, as well as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and British Embassy websites, where we will include links to any essential new information and any changes to travel advice. The URLs are:

WHO: www.who.int

Department of Health: www.dh.gov.uk/pandemicflu

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: www.fco.gov.uk/travel

British Embassy Rangoon: http://ukinburma.fco.gov.uk/en 

 

What help can the British Embassy provide?

It is clear that, should a flu pandemic occur, the virus would in all likelihood spread very rapidly, possibly affecting all countries within a matter of weeks. Given the likely disruption to transport, health services (including the National Health Service in the UK) and other local services, the level of consular assistance and the visa service which we can provide might be significantly reduced, not least because some of our own staff may be ill. In certain circumstances we may have to close the British Embassy temporarily to prevent the spread of infection. We have a contagious disease contingency plan for the Embassy which includes a provision for maintaining a basic consular service in such circumstances.

You will wish to be aware that in the event of a pandemic the British Government has concluded that we will be unable to offer repatriation, given the potential number of British nationals involved. Nor would we be able to offer any diagnosis or medical treatment. This, rightly, should be the duty of your usual healthcare provider. We suggest that you consider this and make the necessary arrangements, assessing in particular your likely access to anti-viral drugs (eg Tamiflu) in the event of a pandemic. You should also ensure that your medical and (if appropriate) travel insurance cover is adequate and up to date. British nationals working in Burma should speak to their employers about the contingency plans they have in place for a flu pandemic (which may include access to essential supplies, anti-viral treatment for employees and/or repatriation to the UK).

What can I do to protect myself?

The UK Health Protection Agency has provided advice on practical measures which we can all take to reduce the risk of infection. We encourage you to share this advice with all members of your household including any domestic staff. General infection control practices and good hand hygiene can help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including t swine influenza. This includes:

• covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible
• disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully
• maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people
• cleaning hard surfaces (e.g. door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product
• making sure your children follow this advice.

There is no risk of infection from the H1N1 swine flu virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products.

For more detailed advice from the Health Protection Agency Click here.

What should I do if I think I might have flu?

The Department of Health is advising UK residents who think they may have flu to stay at home and check their symptoms on www.nhs.uk. This avoids unwittingly spreading the infection to others, should you have it. Self-medication with medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol can be used to relieve the symptoms of flu. (It is of course important to follow the instructions on the packet; and to remember that children under 16 must not be given aspirin or ready made flu remedies containing aspirin.) You should also drink plenty of fluids and ensure that you have adequate stocks of water in your homes/workplaces. If however you are concerned about the seriousness of your condition, try to obtain early advice from a qualified medical practitioner by telephone in the first instance.

Keeping in touch

Finally, may I take this opportunity to encourage those of you who have not yet registered online on our registrations database, LOCATE, to do so? Even if you registered in person some while ago, you should register again on-line. The process will provide you with a password that will allow you to update your own records so that we will always have up to date information about where you are and how we can contact you if we need to. Please click here to register:

I hope this guidance is useful and helps you and all your family to stay healthy and safe.

Yours faithfully,

Catherine Firth

Catherine Firth

Charge d'Affaires